Web holding machine



Sept. 15, 1931. J. A. FLOOD 7' 1,823,264

WEB HOLDING MACHINE Filed June' 25, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet l EH Snvenfoz John FL FIuud Sept. 15, 1931. I J. A. FLOOD WEB HOLDING MACHINE Filed June 25, 1925 3 Sheets-$heet 2 ,B Zlrwenhw duhn Fi. F'lunlj Sept. 15, 1931. J. A. FLOOD WEB HOLDING MACHINE 3' Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 25, 1925 grwz'ntoz J13 hn F1. Plant! Patented Sept. 15, 1931 UNIT D STA" JOHN "A. FLOOD, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

WEB HOLDING MACHINE Application. filed 111M 25,

-My invention relates to web stretching machines wherein it is desired to provide a machine adapted tohold a series of webbing rolls in the base ofthe same, theends' of which extend out to the holding mechanism I in a manner so that they can be attached'to the various articles and secured thereto and then stretched as may be desired so as to draw 'the'webbing talut'over the surface of the articles-to which it is being attached.

A feature of my invention resides'in a web stretching mechanism wherein the detail of'construction is simple and inexpensive, yet effective to hold each of the strips of webbing in placel and so that a series of strips can beheld and adjusted to the article, such as a piece offurniture, when it is desired to attach the webbing to the same. is quite important that the webbing be properly attachedto the article and itis essential that the web stretching machine'be portable so that it can be moved from place to lace and thus permit the adjusting of the webbing. in fitting the same to articles" in dilferentplaoes in the factory wherethey are being made and finished.

" It is an object of my invention to provide a web strap stretcher which "is adaptedto stretch all ofthe pieces of webbing which extend in approximate parallel relation to each other in a uniform manner. This is important so as to provide the proper bottom for the chair or other-piece ofv furniture to which the webbingv isadapted to be attached, My web stretcher is adapted for use in modern upholstery manufacturing establishments where webbing is constantly used and the simple, effective operation of my machine provides a device which permits :a saving of time and labor to a very marked extent. I

The invention includes a web holding device and stretcher which is adjustable so that it can be connected with various articles of furniture and of a portable nature so that it canbe moved aboutthe upholstery manufacturing plant to provide a very convenient web holding machine and to permit the operator to readily adjust the same to the article on which the webbing, is to stretch the same while asuitable locking dog on the end of the mechanism is adapted to 1925. Serial No. 39,629.

be attached. The series of webbing strips can be individually drawn taut to approximately the same degree, and then by a unit j operating lever the webbing drawn taut to hold'the webbing stretched and against backi ward movement until ,it has been secured to the piece of furniture on both ends. The webbing is'then severed or cut ofl' uniformly I at the edge of the piece of furniture and the I machine is then ready to be adjusted to, the new piece of furniture so as to attach the webbing strips across the bottom of the same. i

It. is also an object of my invention. to, provide: a series of gripping dogs for engaging thewebbing in a manner so as not to tear or mar the same, yet holding the.

webbing so tightly thatit can be stretched i to the desired degree to draw the same tigh over the bottom of the furniture. i V

It is alsoa feature of 'my'invention to. provide for holdingthe rolls loose and free so that they can be inserted quickly into" the machine without'having any complicating holding or connecting means for the same. The compartment for holding the rolls is simple, yet the rolls are held side by side so that several strips of webbing can be operated by the machine at one time;

My invention includes, an adjusting means so that the height of the web tablecan be adjusted to the article to which the webbing is to be attached. This is quite important as-it permits the device to be adjusted readily to the desired height and thus allows the operator to work more efficiently.

These, together with other features, will be more fully set forth in the following specification and claims:

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective View of my web stretcher'in operation.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the same. V Figure 3 is a side sectional elevation of my web stretching machine.

Figure 4 is a side sectional elevation on the line 4-4; of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is an endview on'the line 55 of tratingthe formation ofthe same.

The base Bis provided with awebbing.

Figure 9 is a sectional detail of a portion 'of my machine, taken on the line 9+9 of Figured. I

In the drawings the web holdlng machlne and stretcher. A is formed with a base. which is provided with meters 10 so that the same can be moved about from place to place. The base B supports thebody frame 0 extending upward from the same wlth. slde walls 11 and 12. 4

roll receptacle 13 into which the rolls 1 1" of webbing are loosely and freely held so that the webbing strips 15 can "befthrearled H table 23 by means: of the bolts 34 extending through th'e'opening 16 up to the gripping and holding mechanism E on the upperpart of'theframe C. The webbing rolls 14 are held in a series in the compartment 1.3 and the opening 16 is in form of a narrow slot.

at the forward'end and at the upper side 3 or edge of the compartment 13 so that the strips of webbing 15 can be readily and freely passed through the same up to the gripping and holding" mechanism-E. :Thls

holds the rolls of webbing in a manner so that they can be easily replaced at any time,

or removed, without. any necessity of having them centered or held on a shaft and without taking any ofthe machine apart.

The web gripping mechanism E is mounted 'uponthe top of the frame G at: the upper end of the sides 11 and 12. This mechanism E consists of a horizontal shaft 18 which is provided with a longitudinally extending'and projectingkey' 19, theshaft 18 is adaptedt'o carry a series of gripping dogs 20 which arepositioned adjacent'each other on the shaft and are freely held there on-being provided with a key slot 21 ineach dog. 'Thekey slot 21is slightly larger than the key 19 so as to permit the dogs torotate freely the distance of the width of the key slot 21. This permits the dogs 20 to properly adjust themselves in relation to the webbing strips '16 which extend over the gripping dogs 20 in a manner so as to be engaged by the same. 7 Y g The shaft 18 is supported by upwardly projecting side flanges 22to support the same above the gripping table portion 23. The table 23 is positioned directly below the free end of the gripping dogs 20 and is pro the dogs 20 and the dogs 20 machine for gripping the web whichthe tooth 2s 0 30 a handle 37 which is means so thatif the operator are also provided with arserrated surface 25 on the co-surface of the free end of the same which co-acts with the gripping surface 24 to grip the strips of webbing 15 by the dogs 20 and; the table 23, when it is desired to draw the webbing taut in the operation of my machine. I

The table 23 is formed with a forwardly extending arcuate portion 26 which forms a cylindrical like surface extending between the sides Hand 12 of the machine A. On one end of the cylindrical portion 26 of the table 23 I'provide alocking notch 27 into;

W f the lever 29 engages to hold the table with its cylindrical or arouthe-end ofthe tablev 23 and is fermediwith a series offteeth31 which are adapted to be engaged by the serrated edge of thetooth 128 when the arm 29 is lifted'outof thelockfromthe inside of OIiGGDdaOf thetable-23 so as to rigidly attach'thes'ame' thereto, and a .platemember35 is interposed between. the

plate 30 and the end ofthe table 23'wl1ich ate surface stationary. A notch 27'1sjformed in the plate 30 which: is rigidly attached to extendsupwardly to form the end bearing for the shaft 18. Projecting from the ends ofthe table 23 I provide gudgeons 36 which engage in the sides 11 and 12 at the frame to pivotally hold the table 23 in relation to the frame G of my machinet'A. ,Theplates 35 are connected toyand' eXtend upward from each end of the table 23ias illustratedin F igures sand 9 of the drawings.

The "table and cylindrical member 23 have" secured to the opposite end-from the plate provided with a plate portion 38. whieh'is boltedfto the end of the member 23 by similar bolts 34 which hold;

the plate 35 at this end of the table member, 23, as illustrated in Figure 9. i

A handle37 is'adapted to operate the rotative movement of'the table member 23 and as theplate members 35 support the shaft 18 connected'to the table' member 23 when the same is rotated by the handle 37, the series of dogs20 are carrie d in a rotative manner on the 'gudgeons 36 to permit the rotating connecting parts collectively.

The shaft 18 carries a short handle 40 on the inside of the plate 35 which is rigidly con nected or keyed to the shaft 18 and which is adapted to form a'releasing handle which movement ofthe dogs 20Ltogether'with the when operated lifts the dogss2O outef engaging positionby rotating the shaft 18in a backward direction. This handle IO provides v of my web stretching machine desired to raise the dogs 20 out of engagement with the serrated table portion 24 the handle 40 is lifted which raises all of'the dogs 20 simultaneously out of engagement with the table. The dogs 20 are lifted in this position when it is desired to fit the webbing strips 15 beneath the same in readiness to permit the free end, of the strips 15to be drawn between the dogs 20 and the table 23.

Directly in front of the table 23 I provide a work table 41 which is connected to the forwardly extending members 42 carried and supported by the sides 11 and 12 so as to support the table 41 transversely between the sides 11 and 12; The top of the table 41, is approximately in line with the top of the table 23 and when the webbing strips 15 are fed from the rolls 14 between the dogs 20 and the table 23 the webbing strips are drawn over the table 41 and extend from the same to the piece of furniture such as Fillustrated in Figure. 1 of the drawings. The piece of furniture]? illustrated in the drawings in Figure 1 is attached-to any suitable supporting means such as the support G and is rigidly connected thereto by a clamp 43 or any other suitable means so as to hold the same firmly on'the support G. This permits my I webbing machine A to be brought up to the article of furniture and the forward edge 44 of the table 4l'positioned against the legs of the furniture or the side of the same.

When the webbing machine A is in this position the webbing strips 15 are brought over to one side of a piece of furniture and firmly nailed thereto. After the free ends of the wvebbing strips 15 are securely nailed to the piece of furniture F at the side 45, for example, the operator takes a hold of the portion of the strips extending beneath the dogs 20 just back of the dogs and draws the same taut so that all of the strips 15 extending over the bottom of the furniture F are approximately of the same tension. This operation is assisted by the dogs 20 which automatically release by pulling the webbing 15, while stretching it by hand taut over the bottom of the furniture so that when the individual strips 15 arereleased'the dogs automatically,

by reason of their weight, at the free end thereof, drop and are pulled by'the engagement'through the serrated surface 25 in a manner to lock the webbing between the serrated surface 24 and 25and prevent it from c slipping back toward the piece of furniture.

When all of the strips 15 are properly adjusted by hand to the desired tension over the bottom of the furniture, and which operationis'very quickly accomplished by the operator, the arm 29 is lifted out of the looking notch 27 and by engaging the free end ofthe'long handle 37 the operator presses down on the same and rotates the table with the gripping dogs'20 in a manner to draw the web strips 15 very tight over'the bottom of thefurnitureand stretch them evenly across the same. In this operation as the lever37 is pressed downward, the arm 29 having been released again after removal from the locking notch 27 is caused to engage with the ratchet teeth 31 and thus the operator can press the handle down the desired amount and then when the handle is disengaged .the arm 29 will erator can quickly cut the strips 15 off at the 4 point after the knife is drawn through the groove 47. The free ends of the strips 15 are then folded back and nailed to the piece of furniture F so as to make a finished edge along the same. I

This operation of my webbing machine provides means for stretching the webbing very tightly over the bottom of the piece of furniture and provides a device which is quickly. and easily operated, holding the I webbing'a'cross the tables 23-and 41 in a manner so that the width of webbing designed to come through the machine can be used, yet owing to the large number of individual gripping dogs 20 the webbing is gripped firmly without tearing it or injuring its surface so as to firmly hold it while being stretched and to permit the stretching operation to be easily performed'by the operator.

I provide an' adjustable means for raising and lowering the operating and gripping mechanism E which includes an operating wheel 50 adapted to operate the gear 51 which engages with the vertical extendingrack 52 secured to each side 11 'and12 of the machine A andthus permit the sides 11 and 12 to be raised up and down on the base sides 53 which extendupward'from the base and which slidably support the gripping mechanism in relation to'the'base B. This permits the web stretcher to be adjusted to the height desired to bring it at the proper level with the bottom of the furniture over which the webbing is to be stretched and attached.

The operation of the device is very rapid and a large number of pieces of furniture can be covered with webbing, being important that the webbing is not at all injured in the stretching by the engagement of the dogs and the parts and so connected together that the operator can easily and more efficiently stretch the webbing across the bottom of the furniture. Thus I provide a web stretching machine which is adjustable and the parts of which operate automatically to simplify the construction and provide a practical web stretching device. It is important that the rolls 1410f webbingbe easily inserted, the

machine so that they can be changed from timefto time quickly. I have found the operation of my device to be very effective and it is to be preferred over other forms of ebb stretchingmacbines which has been demon strated by the large demand which I have had for these machines.

In accordance with the'patent'statutes have described the principles of operation of my web stretching machine and I have illustrated a particular, formation in the draw? ings. However I desire to have it understood that 'these-illustratjions are only suggestive ofthe construction of my device and that the invention can becarried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth withinthe scope of the following claims v Iclaim': I

1.- A web stretcher adapted to hold a series of webbingrolls, a table over which the webbing is adapted to extend in a manner so that? the free end of the webbing can be ate tached to an article, self-acting grippingmembers adapted to engage the webbing and pinch the same against said table, means for releasing said members simultaneously and means for; rotatin-gsaid table with saidlgripping members tight. 1

2. A web stretcher adapted to hold the I series-of webbing rolls, a web gripping table,

means for rotatively supporting said table, a series of gripping members pivotally connected to'and adapted to rotate with said table, a key means for limiting the rotative movement-of said gripping members-said gripping member-s being adaptedto co-act with the surf-ace of said't-able to engage thestrips of webbing passing thereover to permit the same to 'beindividually engaged and pulled only sufliciently to equalize thestrips of webbing in relationto each other, said gripping members operating automatically to preventthe webbing from moving in a back-e ward direction after it has beendrawn snug; means for rotating said table andgripping members collectively to stretch the strips of webbing and means for locking said table in the rotated Y position to hold the webbing stretched until it is attached and cut off.

Y JOHN A. FLOOD.

iieaaaeie tostretch the webibing very 

